FLORIDA’S SNAKE PROBLEM

Hi, I’m Sunny.    Florida is being overrun with pythons like the Burmese python.  The snakes are putting the natural wildlife in the Everglades in danger.   The population, estimated to be over 100,000 in the Everglades, will attack and consume any type of wildlife including an alligator.  The governor of Florida is considering signing a bill putting a bounty on a captured snake to reduce the population.    Besides the bounty, the licensed trappers will keep the proceeds from selling the meat and skin of the snake.

The burmese python is one of the six largest snakes in the world.   The snake can be found near water or in trees.  It can grow up to 18 feet and weigh 160 pounds.  The snake is lighted colored with brown blotches outlined in black.

Burmese Python
Conservation status
Near Threatened

The  Burmese python is native to Southeast Asia.  It is an excellent swimmer and climber.  They are active during the night and will sleep during the day.  The snake tends to live in the underbrush.  It’s diet consists of birds and mammals.  It will seize its’ prey with its’ teeth and crush its’ prey with its’ body.

The snake has been hunted for its’ skin, folk medicines and in some areas, food.  It has also been captured for the pet industry.  The snake has a reputation as being docile, but can kill a human being with its’ strength.   It is usually afraid of people, but like any wild animal, it is unpredictable and may attack a human.   The snake has an instinct to hunt and will try to escape from its’ cage in captivity.

Because of the size it reaches at adulthood, the snake can outgrow its’ surroundings in captivity.   Many owners will release the snake to the wild.    The snake may start to breed and overwhelm an area causing an imbalance with the natural wildlife.

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